In epilepsy patients, after seizures have stopped for an average of 2-5 years, antiepileptic drugs can begin to be gradually reduced and discontinued under the supervision of a doctor. However, in some cases, the discontinuation of epilepsy medications may be postponed to a later date, or in some patients, drug discontinuation may not be possible at all.

The drug reduction and withdrawal plan must always be made under the supervision of a doctor, especially a neurology specialist. When deciding to discontinue medication, factors such as the frequency of seizures, the type of seizures, EEG findings, and patient compliance should be considered. The best approach is to generally determine the criteria for drug withdrawal and to proceed by thoroughly discussing with the patient (regarding seizure type, duration of remission, and the seizure ending the remission) and by considering necessary examinations, MRI findings, and EEG characteristics at the initial stages of the process.

It should be known that after the discontinuation of treatment, there is a risk of seizure recurrence (considering the above conditions). The risk of seizure recurrence is particularly high in the first year after stopping the medication, especially in the first 1-3 months.